Engine-priming device.



F. L. SHELR 6I F. C. SCHOFIELD.

ENGINE PRIMING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, ISIS.

1 ,300,659. Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

4.5 ZKB 155 .5o

F. L. SHELOR I F. C. SCHOFIELD. ENGINE PRIMING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB.21.I9I8.

1 ,300,659, Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

6 m55/MEQ ATTORNEY.

WJTNESSJ.

UNITED STATES .PATENT oEEIcE.

FREDERICK L. SHELOR AND FREDERICK C. SCHOFIELD, OF SALEM, VIRGINIA,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 27, 1918. Serial No. 2139,352.

To all whom t may concern.' l

Be it .known that we, FREDERICK L. SHELoR and FREDERICK C. SoHorIELD, citizens of the United States, and residents of Salem, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Priming Devices, of which the following is a specication.

The present invention A.relates to devices for priming internal combustion engines, and aims to provide a novel and improved contrivance of that nature for effectively priming the engine even under. the most adverse weather conditions.

The invention has for its object the provision of a priming device so constructed and operable as to deliver heated vapor or gas to the intake manifold or conduit of the engine when it is started, and thereby electrically or in an equivalent manner for heating and vaporizing the fluid, so that the vapor or gas in expanding will be injected automatically into the engine intake, such heated vapor or gas mixing with the carbureted air flowing from the carbureter tcjthe engine which will provide a combustible mixture that will start the engine without difficulty, as when the cold carbureted air alone is used.

A further object is the provision of such an" engine primer which will not only produce the vapor orgas, but which will also superheat said vapor or gas and keep it in such condition until it enters the-intake manifold or conduit. Thus, even though the vapor orl gas loses some of its heat to the cooler carbureted air, still the=loss of heat will not be sufficient for` the vapor or gas to condense, and as a consequence the carbureted air is. also heated and in '-'admixing with the heated vapor or gas will produce an effective highly ignitible mixture notwithstanding cold temperatures..n

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an engine primer having a vaporizing chamber or retort 'for gasolene or other liquid fuel, electrical or other equivalent means for heating said fuel to vaporize it, and means whereby the vapor will, under a certain pressure ow under preswhich will be operated automatically with the starting dvice of the engine, so'that the priming gas or fluid is delivered under pressure to the engine intake when the starter is operated, the starter furnishing the power while the primer delivers a reliable supply of fuel to assure of prompt starting.

With the foregoing and other objects in Patentednpr. 1,5, 1319.v

view, which will be apparent as the .invention is better understood, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described andV claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the panying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a sectional view of the priming device'7 showing the engine and electrical circuits in diagram.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a modied form with the top plate removed, portions being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The priming device as illustrated in Fig. l embodies a metallic casing l, of cylindrical or other suitable form and arranged in a vertical or other suitable position. As shown, the casing 1 has a removable cap or end 2 in screw threaded connection therewith, and the casing 1 and its cap 2 each have molded or otherwise provided thereon the exterior insulation 3, thereby preventing them from being grounded by contact with adjacent parts of the engine or frame work of the automobile. The casing l also has the lining or interior coating 5 of insulating material of mica, asbestos'or other heat and gasolene resisting material, while the exterior insulation 3 may be of hard rubber or composition. The cap 2 has an aCCOmupper end portion of the casing 1 and fitting within the insulating lining 5 is a valve head or body 8 provided with a lower central boss 9 on which the upper end of the tube 7 is fitted. This tube provides the vaporizing chamber or retort therein, and is provided on its exterior and interior surfaces with the jacket or coating 10 and lining or coa-ting 11 of mica, asbestos or other heat and gasolene resisting insulation of tubular form. The ends of the tubea abut the cap 2 and the valve body 8 and are soldered thereto, as at 12, the insulation of said tube also eX- tending -to said cap and body. l

In order to electrically heat the interior of the retort or vaporizing chamber an electrode disk 13 is fitted within the insulating lining 11 of the tube 7 at the lower end thereof, and has 4a stem 14 extending outwardly through the boss 6 and cap 2 and' having a nut 14a on its protrudingportion to provide binding post for the connection of an electrical conductor or leader. Insulation l5 is provided under the disk 13 and around the stem 14 -to insulate them thoroughly from the cap 2 and tube 7. Packing 16 is also provided between the insulation 15 andlstem 14 and between said insulation and boss 6 to prevent leakage of the fuel fro-m within the retort or vaporizing chamber. Said Chamber is filled or packed tightly with broken pieces of carbon or other equivalent Jporous electricity-resisting material, or carbon or equivalent pellets can be used, a sec` ond electrode disk 19 beingl disposed on top of said carbpn pack 17. The electrode disks 13 and 19 have the contact points oir spurs 18 and 20, res ectively, extending into the ends of the cargo between said disks,'thus assuring of good electrical connections for the flow o-f an electrical current through the pack between the electrodes. The upper electrode disk 19 is forced toward the disk 13 by a strong coil spring 21 disposed between it and the boss 9, so las to compress the carbon pack and enhance the iiow of electrical current through same. The pressure spring 21 is also secured Ato the disk 19 and boss 9 to carry the current therebetween.

The valve body 8 is provided with means for the flow of gasolene or other priming fluid into the vaporizing chamber' and the outow of vapor or gas therefrom, and for these purposes, said body 8 has a passage 22 opening through the boss 9 into said chamber for both the iniiow and outflow. The passage, 22 has a Abranch 23 leading to one side of and opening into a recess 24 in the body 8 extending from the top thereof, said body7 being provided with a gasolene or fuel supply passage 25 leading from thelower surface thereof between the casing 1 and tube 7 to the lower end of said recess 24. A. fuel conducting pipe or tube 26 extends lonn pack which is compressed gitudinally between the casing 1 and tube y7' and its upper end is secured in any suitable manner to the body 8- in communication with the passage 25, While the lower terminal of said pipe 26 extends outwardly through an insulating plug 27 in the wall of the ca p 2,

said terminal of the pipe 26 being connected by an insulating coupling 28 with the gasolene or fuel supply pipe 29 leading to the tank or other source of fuel. The insulation prevents the grounding of the device at the points where not wanted. The gasolene or other fuel can thus flow from the supply pipe 29 into the vaporizing chamber by way of the pipe 26,l passage 25, recess 24 and passage 22.

The valve body 8 has a check valve for preventing the reverse iow of fluid in the fuel supplying conduit, a plug v30 being threaded or otherwise removably engaged within the mouth of the recess 24 andl a check valve 31 of conical or other suitable form being movable with said recess and having a stem 32 slidable within said plug to guide the valve to and from its seat formed by the shoulder between the recess 24 and passage 25. A coiled expansion spring 33 is confined between valve 31 and plug 30 to seat said valve with a light tension. The check valve 31 therefore prevents reverse iow in` the fuel conduit, and enables the fuel to How readily to the vaporizing chamber.

The valve body 8 has a second check valve, and is therefore provided with a second branch 34 leading from the passage 22 to the lower end of a second recess 35 extending from the top of the body 8. The body 8 has a vapor or gas outlet passage 36 leading from one side of the recess 35 to the lower surface of said body between the casing 1 and tube 7, at which point a Vapor or gas conducting pipe or tube 37 is secured to said body in communication with the passage 36. The pipe or tubing 37 is made of a suitable metal. composition or alloy having a high specific electrical resistance, such as German silver, nickel, nichrome or other equivalent material, and is formed into a coil 38 surrounding the tube 7. The tubing is comparatively long and comparatively small in diameter, and being of metal such as described, will be bendable or flexible, so that it can be bent into the coil or otherwise formed to suit conditions. The tubing will therefore cause the stream therethrough to be quite long and of small cross section in 40 of the engine 41 is supplied with carbureted air from the usual carbureter 42.v A plug 43 similar to the plug 30 is engaged within the mouth of the recess 35, and the second check valve 44 similar to the valve 31 has the upstanding stem 45 slidable in and guided by the plug 43. The valve 44 is seata'ble against the seat formed by the shoulder between the passage 34 and recess 35, and a coiled expansion spring 46 is confined between tlie valve 44 and plug 43 to seat said valve. This spring 46 is of sufficient tension v to resist the opening of the valve 44 under the greatest vacuum or negative pressure in the intake manifold due to the suction created by the intake stroke of the pistons when the engine is running. This is essential to prevent the usual. vacuum or suction in the intake manifold from extending into the primin device under running conditions, which 1f it occurred would be apt to draw the gasolene from the pipe 29 through the primer.

The electrical circuit includes the storage battery 47 or other source of electrical energy, from one pole of which a conductor or leader 48 extends to the binding post of the electrode 13,` and a conductor or leader 49 is grounded to the manifold 40 and is connected to the other pole of the battery by a switch 50 used to open and close the circuit. With automobiles having an electrical starter 52 for mechanically moving the movable parts, the switch 50 may be the same as that one which is operated to close the circuit 51 of the starter. In this way, the primer will be heated instantly When the starter is brought into operation, causing the vapor or gas to How to the intake manie fold for the prompt response of the engine. However, this is optional, and a separate circuit for the priming device can be used with or without a starting device for the engme.

When the device is first attached, gasolene or other fuel used is supplied within the vaporizing or retort chamber. This can be done when the device is manufactured, or in any other manner, such as by suckin the fuel into said chamber by applying suigcient suction from a pump to the tubinO 37 to overcome the resistance of the spring 46, whereupon the fuel will How into the chamber as the air is withdrawn therefrom, by the pumping action.

In operation, when the electrical circuit is closed by the switch 50, the electrical current flows through the device, said. circuit including the conductor 48, electrode 13, carbon pack 17, electrode 19, spring 21, valve body 8, tubing 37, manifold or other ground 40, and conductor 49. The iow of electrical energy through the carbon pack will heat the carbon particles and the tubing 37, whereby the fuel which fills the interstices of the carbon ack will be heated and therefore va orized and the vapor or gas being confine within the fluid-ti ht chamber will increase in pressure until t e ressure overcomes the resistance of the spring 46, whereupon the vapor or gas will ow from the chamber through the tubing 37 to the engine intake. The resistances of the carbon pack and tubing 37 are such that the tubing will become hotter than the carbon pack, and while the carbon vpack dissipates suflicient heat to the fuel to vaporize it and force said vapor through the tubing 37, said tubing and its coil 38 will dissipate additional heat to the vapor owing in said tubing, and the vapor in absorbing heat from the tubing 37 and its coil will increase in temperature and becomeJ superheated, and since the tubing extends to the manifold, the vapor will be kept in this condition to the very point of entering the manifold. The vapor when passing from the priming device to the manifold is thus surrounded by a heated conduit to maintain the temperature of the vapor and prevent it from cooling or condensing before mixing with the carbureted air, such condensing of the vapor in the manifold also being avoided due to the superheating thereof. The superheated vapor in mixing with the carbureted air raises the temperature of said air and gasolene mixed therewith, and the resultant mixture or charge is heated and will ignite easily and quickly, for the prompt starting of the engine, even when the atmospheric temperature is too low to allow proper carburetion of the air when passing through the carbureter. Even though the carbureted air is cold, the superheated vapor supplied by the device will heat the air by giving up some of its heatto the air, but retaining sufficient to avoid condensation. The check valve 31 prevents the vapor from iowing into the fuel conduit.

When the electrical circuit is opened, after the engine has started, the electrical current will no longer iiow in the vaporizing chamber, and the remaining vapor therein will therefore condense when the device cools, thus creating a partial vacuum in said chamber that extends into the fuel conduit and draws fuel from said conduit past the valve 31 into said chamber, thereby replenishing the supply of fuel therein automatically for the next operation.

Figs. 2 and 3 depict a different form of the device having the same principles of operation, showing one of many modifications which can be made. This modied form is designed to be placed in the intake conduit of the engine, such as between the intake manifold and carbureter, and comprises a block or body 1 and bottom and top plates 2 and 9', respectively, between-` which said body is disposed. This body is provided with lower and upper grooves or channels 7 and 7, respectively extending in loop form around a central opening 40 in the body l to register with the intake conduit for the flow ofl carbureted air therethrough from the carbure'ter into the intake manifold, said body being readily clamped between the manifold and carbure'ter and held in place by the clamping bolts for the reception of which the body 1 has bolt holes p 53. The grooves 7 and 7 are covered by the plates 2 and 9, respectively, and are lined throughout,as at 11, with mica, asbestos or other heat and gasolene resisting insulation. The llower grooves 7 provides the vaporizing chamber or retort in which the fragments or pellets of carbon or like material are packed tightly, so that the pack surrounds the opening 40. An electrode disk 18 is carried by the plate 2 within one end of the groove or vaporizing chamber 7, and has a stem 14 extending outwardly through the plate 2, with nuts 14 thereon for the connection of the conductor 48. The

' electrode 13 has the contact points 18 entering the carbon pack to make good electrical connection therewith. nsulation 15 surrounds the stem 14 to insulate the electrode 13 from the plate 2. The body 1 has an' opening 23', between the ends of the chamber 7 as shown, and a coupling 28 of insulating material is fitted in the opening 23 and has the fuel supply pipe 29 connected thereto for delivering the fuel into the chamber 7 when the vapor in said chamber condenses. The coupling 28 contains the check valve of the fuel conduit, that end ofthe coupling 28 which opens into the chamber 7 having a recess 24 from which a restricted passage 25 leads to the pipe 29. The shoulder between the recess 24 and passage 25 forms a seat for the check valve 31 whose stem 32 is guided by a spider 30 within the recess 24', the valve being seated by an expansion ,spring 33 confined between the valve and spider. y

A cup 25 extends through a plate 9 into one end of 'the groove or dead air space 7,

and is insulated from said plate by insulation 55 between said cup and plate. The bottom of the cup has an extension 19 projecting through the partition between the chamber 7 and dead air space 7 packing 54 surrounding the extension 19 Within the opening in said partition to prevent leakage.y A nut 21 is threaded onto the extension 19 in thechamber 7 to clamp the cup 35 vin place, and said extension has a passage 34 and a port orv aperture 22 for the flow of vapor out of the chamber 7. The extension 19 provides the secondelectrode within the other end of chamber 7 and said extension has radial contact points 20 entering the carbon pack to insure a good electrical connection. A plug 43 closes, the mouth of the cup 35 and guides the stem 45 of a Leccese check valve 44 for the vapor or-gas conduit sired pressure, like the spring 46 seats the valve 44.

The resistance and superheating tubing 37 is located within the groove or dead air space 7 so as to be protected from the atmosphere, like the coil 38 is protected within the annular dead air space of the first form between thetube 7 and casing or shell l. The tubing 37 has a coil 38 extending within the space 7 around the opening 40 and one or more of such coils can be used, as desired. @ne end of the tubing 37 is attached to and communicates through the Wall of the cup 35 to receive the vapor, while the other end of the tubing is engaged through the inner wall of the space 7 and opensinto the opening 40, so that the vapor discharged from said tubing intercepts the carbureted air flowing therethrough to admix therewith effectively.

The operation is substantially the same as above described, but briefly stated is as follows: The electrical current', when the circuit is closed, liows between the electrodes from one end of the carbon pack to the other, thereby vaporizing the fuel. The circuit from one electrode to the battery is made by Way of the conductor 48, and from the other electrode 19 by way of the cup 35, tubing 38 and body 1 grounded to the manifold by contact therewith. vThe expanding vapor Hows through the passage 34 past the valve 44 into the cup 35 and through the tubing 37 into the opening 40. The tubing 37 thus superheats the vapor until it enters into the intake conduit. When the ow of electrical energy stops, the vapor in chamber 7 condenses `and produces a partial vacuum for drawing in more fuel for the next operation.

Various other modifications and alterations can be made within the scope of what is now claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, to adapt the primer .I

to various uses and conditions.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The comblnati-on wlth an internal combustion engine, 'of a fuel vaporizing chamber to con-fine ya quantity of fuel an'd its vapor, having a fuel inlet and vapor outlet,

ea valve for admitting a quantity of fuell ya-vapo'r outlet communicating With the enand is coniin y chamber is heated, and the vapor underpressure permitted to escape through the gine intake, and means whereby fuel is admissible from'thesource of fuel through the fuel inlet before the chamber is heated ed as Well as its vaporuntil the vapor outlet. Y

4. The combination With an internal combustion engine and-'a source of fuel, of a fuel vap'orizing chamber to confine a quantity of fuel and i-ts vapor, having a fuel inlet connected `tao-said source of fuel, and a vapor outlet connected to the engine intake, a

check valve for vthe fuel inletto preventv reverse lflow and to confine the fuel and its vapor in the chamber, and a check valve for the vapor 'outlet held seated with sufficient pressure to prevent the opening thereof by the intake' suction unless assisted by the vapor Whenl under pressure by the heating of the chamber. r

'5. A priming -device embodying a Vaporizing chamber having heating means for receiving and vaporizing a quantity of fuel and confining same and its vapor, said chamber having a fuel inlet and vapor outlet With means to confine the fuel and vapor and permitting the vapor, when under suiiiient pressure, to pass out through the out- 6. In a heated fluid supplying device, a liquid vaporizer for holdingfuel and vapore izing it, and a conduit arranged for only receiving vapor therefrom after being generated and composed of electrical conducting material having a. high specific electrical resistance, to' be disposed 1n an electrical circuit so that said conduit becomes heated for externally superheating the vapor during transit.

7. In a heated fluid supplying device, a liquid vaporizer for holding fuel having electrical resistance for heating it to vaporize the fuel, and a conduit arranged for only/ receiving vapor from said vaporizer after being generated and composed of electrical conducting material h'aving a high specific electrical resistanceand connected in electrical circuit with the resistance of the vaporizer to eXternally superheat the vapor during transit in the conduit during vaporization.

8. A n engine primer having a vaporizing chamber, provided with a fuel inlet and a vapor outlet to discharge into an engine intake, a valve for the inlet, and a check valve for the outlet held closed with sufficient pressure to prevent the intake suction from extending into said chamber until assisted by v'apor pressure therein.

9. An engine primer having a vaporizing chamber provided with a fuel inlet and a vapor outlet, means for heating said chamber at-Will, a check valve for the inlet, and a check valve for said outlet held seated With suficient pressure to prevent the intake suction from extending into said chamber until assisted b-y vapor pressure therein.

arranged forpreventing the intake suction from entering said chamber but permitting the vapor to How out to the intake When under pressure.

11. An engine primer having a vaporizing I chamber provided With la fuel inlet and vapor outlet and electrical resistance, a cpnduit having highv specific electrical resistance for conductinghvapor from' said outlet to an engine intake and electrically heating it, a check valvey for the inlet, the electrical resistan-ce of said chamber being in circuit With said conduit, and means for preventing t'heintake suction from extending through said conduit intov said chamber but permitting l the vapor to How out to the intake When under pressure.

12. The comlbinfation with an engine, a carbureter therefor, and a starter for transmitting mechanical impulse to the engine forstarting it, of priming means constructed and -arranged for supplying confined vapor under pressure to the engine independent of said carbureter, means for bringing the priming means into operati-enfer supplying confined vapor under pressure irre-4 spective of the operation of the carbureter, and means whereby the last named means 1s operated when the starter is operated.

13. The combination With an engine, a carbu-reter therefor, and an electrical starter for transmitting mechanical impulse to the engine for starting it, of priming means constructed and arranged for supplying confined vapor under pressure to the engine intake independent of the carbureter, electrical means for bringing the priming means into operation, a source of electrical energy, 'and means operable for supplying energy simultaneously to the starter and said electrical means so that confined vapor under pressure flows to the engine intake when it receives the mechanical impulse from the Starter.

le. The combination Withv an engine intake, of means constructed and arranged to receive and confine fuel Iand its vapor, to

heat said confined fuel at will, and to deliver the vapor thus formed, When under.v

suficient pressure only, to the intake.

15. Thecombination With-an engine intake and means for supplying fuel; of means constructed and arranged to receive fuel from said means and confine it and its vapor, to heat the conlined fuel at Will, and to deliver the vapor thus formed, When under sufficient pressure only, to the intake.

16. The combination With an engine intake and means for supplying fuel; of

means constructed and arranged to automatically receive fuel from said means when the second named means is cool and confine said fuel'and its vapor, to heat the confined fuel at will, yand to deliver the vapor thus formed, when under sulicient pressure only, to the intake.

17. The combination With yan engine in takeand, means forv supplying fuel; of a.

condensed, fuel is sucked thereinto from said means and the intake suction shut o fl' from the chamber, and when the chamber 1s heated, Vaporis delivered therefrom to the engine'intake only when the vapor pressure rises to a predetermined amount.

In testimony whereof We hereunto set our hands and seals, this 22 day of Feb., 1918.

FREDERICK L. SHELOR. FREDERICK C. SCHOFIELD. 

